Seesaw.



PATENTBD MAR. 19,1997.

- G. S. KYLE.

l Nq. 947,797.

2 SHBBTE-BHBET 2.

wil/neme@ Tras FFICE.

GEORGE S. KYLE, OF OHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONIS HALF TO QUIGLEY HAFER, OF CHAMBERSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

SEESAW.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented March 19, 1 907.

Application filed November 16, 1905. Serial No. 287,663.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. KYLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chambersburg, in the county of Franklin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seesaws and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in amusement apparatus, and more particularly to a swinging or seesawing device.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and attractive seesaw from which a great amount of pleasure and amusement may be derived.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will` be hereinafter more fully described and claimed'.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of a seesaw constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with parts in longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the plane indicated by the line 4 4 in Fig. 2 and looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Referring to the drawings by numeral, 1 denotes my improved seesaw, which consists of an oscillating seat-carrying frame 2, mounted upon a support 3, which is provided upon a base 4. The latter comprises a horizontally-disposed spring board or platform 5, which is supported at its central portion, so that its ends are above the ground or fioor upon which the device is mounted. The spring or platform may be made of wood, metal, or any other suitable material, but as shown is formed of a series of parallel boards or planks united upon' their under sides by cross-bars 6. Three intermediate cross-bars 6, which are located adjacent to the center of the platform, are mounted upon side beams or sills 7, so that the ends of the platform are spaced from or above the surface on which the side beams 7 rest and are adapted to act as spring-boards in the operation of the seesaw, as presently explained. The support 3,

upon which the oscillating frame is pivotally 5 5 mounted, may beof any suitable form and construction; but as shown it resembles a carpenters horse or trestle, and consists of a cross-beam 9, supported at each end by legs 10, which have their lower ends resting upon the center of the platform 5. The support or horse 3 is secured upon the platform by a bolt or tie-rod 11, which passes through alining openings formed in the centers of the platform and the beam 9 and has a clampingnut 12 upon its upper end. The swinging frame 2 is mounted upon a l'pivot-rod 13. which has its ends secured in heads 14, provided upon the top of the beam 9, so that said pivot is disposed centrally above the latter. The oscillating or swinging seat-frame 2 of the seesaw may also be constructed of any suitable material in any desired manner; but l as shown it consists of a central platform 15, from Which extend parallel side bars 16, which are connected at their upper ends by side rails 17. The lower side bars 16 extend in pairs and angularly from the platform 15 and arey connected by cross-bars 18 at points intermediate their ends. At their ends they are connected by cross-bars and slats, which form curved seats 19 and upright backs 20 for said seats. The ends of the upper side rails 17 are provided on their upper edges with hand bars or rails 21 and on their lower edges with depending feet 22.

In order to permit the oscillating frame 2 to be adjusted to compensate for persons of unequal weights upon the seats 19, I provide an adjustable pivotal connection between said frame and the pivot-rod 13. This connectionv is preferably effected by providing at the ends of said platform 15 a series of semicylindrical recesses or sockets 23, which are adapted to engage the pivot-rod 13 between its heads 14. As shown, these sockets are formed in the bottom of platform 15 and are protected at each side thereof by suitable metal plates 24; but it will be understood that when the platform is made of metal said sockets are formed in the same. In order to hold said sockets upon the pivot, I preferably provide upon the under side of the platform 15 pivoted latches 26, which are in the form IOO As Will be seen upon reference to Fig. 4 of the drawings, the horizontal portions or ends of the hook-latches 26 are of sufficient length to retain the pivot-rod in the sockets without regard to which of the latter are engaged with said rod.

In order to increase the oscillatory movement of the frame 2, lf preferably provide upon each side of the same spring devices 2S. The latter are connected to eyes 29, provided upon the spring-platform 5 and the cross-bars 18 of said frame, the connection with the eye upon the spring-platform 5 being preferably detachable by employing` a snap-hook 30. The latter is secured to the lower end of one of the spring devices, which comprises a cord, chain, or other flexible inelastic connection 31, connected at its upper end to an el astic device 32. The latter consists of upper and lower U-shaped bales 34 35, provided on their arms with stops 36 37, between which are arranged sliding heads 38 39, which latter confine a coiled spring 40. Said spring surrounds the two bales, which are disposed in planes at right angles to each other, and is compressed when they are moved away from each other, as will be readily seen upon reference to the drawings. It will be seen that after the oscillating frame 2 has been properly adjusted upon its pivot according to the Weight of the person or persons who are to occupy the seats 19 the persons take said seats and-start the seesaw in the usual manner. l/Vhen once it is in motion, the elastic connection between the frame and the platform 5 assist the occupants in keeping theseesaw in motion, and they are further assisted by reason of the spring or resiliency of the ends of the platform 5 each time the feet-of one of the occupants descends upon the same. Owing to the fact that each of the connections between the seesaw and the frame has both an inelastic and a spring or yieldable element, the initial movement of the seesaw in either direction is not retarded by one of said connections, but the spring therein comes into play only at the latter portion of each movement of the seesaw. Hence the said connections permit the free initial movement of the scesaw in either direction, and their spring elements act to retard the seesaw toward the last of its movement in either direction.

lhile l have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that I do not wish. to be limited to the precise construction herein set forth, since various changes in the material, form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention. l also wish it understood that the device may be used without the spring devices or with either one or both, as shown.

Having thus described my invention,what l claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a seesaw, the combination of a support, an oscillatory seat-frame pivotally mounted thereon, and resilient devices upon said support to receive the feet of the operators upon said frame.

2. ln a seesaw, the combination of a support, an oscillatory seatframe pivotally mounted thereon, and spring-boards upon said support adapted to receive the feet ofthe operators upon said frame.

In a seesaw, the combination of a centrally-supported spring-platform, an oscillatory seat-frame pivotally mounted above the center of said platform, and elastic devices between said platform and saidl frame.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE S. KYLE. ivitnesses:

lsiiito I. Wixcnn'r, DAVID C. RnonnsA 

